Support for a West Papuan bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group is strong in Indonesia's Papua region, according to a leading local journalist.
A formal membership application by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation was recently knocked back by the MSG whose leaders called for a more representative bid.
West Papuan journalist Victor Mambor Photo: Paul Bensemann
Following this, a conference is being organised in Vanuatu later this month for a range of West Papuan representative groups to reconcile and discuss a unified MSG membership bid.
This includes three leading groups - the Coalition, the administration of the Federal Republic of West Papua, and the National Committee for West Papua.
The Tabloid Jubi newspaper editor, Victor Mambor, says that many West Papuans are aware of the MSG bid.
"Even now, many Papuan peoples, they say that the three organisations should sit together and look for solutions to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group."
Victor Mambor